Invincible Summer
by Ron4
Summary: When Seth and Summer decide to take a break from one another, Summer turns to someone else for comfort. But when she's raped, and Summer faces the threat of pregnancy, will Seth, the other guy, or the rapist be the child's father? Part 2 of 3
1. The News

 Invincible Summer 

"In the depths of winter I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer." 

_-Albert Camus_

_Part **One** of **Three**_

 The News 

            _"Fine, then, maybe we should just take a break from each other!"_

Seth's words echoed in Summer's head, causing unrelenting ringing in her ears.  She needed a drink.

            She couldn't help but think _How pathetic am I?  _She and Seth had been dating since the end of their junior year, and, being near the end of their senior year, they had been "official" for almost a year.

            The break was inevitable.  Summer and Seth were too different.  After almost twelve months of playful bickering, Summer knew that the bona fide arguments were approaching.  So when she asked herself how pathetic she was, being that the declaration of their break had been a week ago, she realized that maybe it was time to move on.

            Seth was a stubborn guy.  More than likely, his intention for this break was to be a break-up, and he'd go to someone else.  He'd had his eye on Anna for a while, or so Summer had presumed, so maybe he'd run to her.

            Meanwhile, Summer wasn't going to sit around and do nothing.  She'd cried enough over Seth.  She needed to feel needed, if even for a few hours.  Which is why she decided that she needed to move on.

*                      *                      *

            With the thoughts of needing a drink and needing to move on, Summer knew just the place.  Holly's party.

            So maybe Summer didn't socialize with Holly anymore.  But that didn't matter.  She wouldn't have to deal with Holly.  She'd just go, let herself have some fun, and try to forget about Seth Cohen.

*                      *                      *

            The party was great.  Why?  There was a lot of alcohol.  Summer got herself a beer, even though she didn't usually drink the stuff.

            "Hey Summer," a voice said in her ear.  She turned around to see Parker Prescott standing there.  He had to be one of the most popular seniors at Harbor School.  He was on the soccer and water polo teams, the president of Student Council and National Honor Society, he was Homecoming King, a member of countless clubs, and the list went on.  Plus he was hot.

            "Parker," Summer smiled.

            "Where's Seth?" he asked.

            Summer's smile faltered.  "Seth and I are… on a break."

            "A break, huh?  You want to talk about it?"  Summer hadn't talked to Parker in a while.  Not since she had stopped hanging out with the "in crowd," anyway.  Even then, she hadn't really gotten to know him all that well.

            "S-sure," she stuttered, oddly enough.  With Parker's chiseled looks, it really wasn't all that surprising that Summer felt the attention from him getting to her.  He had perfect dark brown hair, eyes browner and deeper than even Seth's, and a very kissable mouth.

            "Let's go somewhere a little quieter," he told her.  She obliged, following him first to each get another drink, then outside.  "There's an amazing space of beach over here.  It's kinda hard to get to, but it's really worth it."

            He led her to the spot, which really was worth it.  It was a small cove, cozy and inviting.  It was like their own slice of the beach.  The only audible sound was that of the waves crashing onto the shore: just the right amount of background noise.

            "This is beautiful," she told him.

            "I know," he said, shifting his gaze from the ocean to her.  "But it doesn't compare to you."

            She looked at him.  "I'm not going to sleep with you," she said bluntly.

            He held up his free hand in defense.  "I wasn't suggesting that.  You just broke up with your—"

            "We're just taking a break."

            "Right.  You and your boyfriend just decided to take a break from each other.  I know how it feels.  I was just trying to make you smile.  Besides, it's true.  I'm not like other guys, Summer.  When I compliment someone, it doesn't mean that I'm trying to… get into her pants."

            She grinned, but not enough for him to notice.  "Good."

            "Do you need another?" he asked, referring to her drink.

            "Sure," she said, handing him her cup.

            "I'll be right back.  Don't go anywhere," he smiled at her.  As he walked away, she let her eyes follow him.  She hoped she wasn't too harsh on him, accusing him of wanting to sleep with her.  She did know that he was different than other guys.  He was… he was like Seth.

            Well, not exactly like Seth.  Seth was into comic books and skateboarding, while Parker was into sports and hanging out with friends.  Still, they shared a lot of qualities.  They liked a girl for who she was, not what she looked like or what her social status was.  They were bluntly honest.  They were sweet, caring, and wanted to help.

            She tried to push the thoughts away as she stared out at the rapidly descending sun, crossing her arms.

            Before she knew it, Parker was back.  Giving her the refilled cup, he revealed that he had also brought a large beach towel down.  "So we don't have to stand up," he shrugged and spread it across the sand.  "Have a seat," he offered.  They both sat down.  "So… did you want to talk about it?"

            "Where should I start?" she asked.

            "Start where every story starts," he smiled gently.  "The beginning."

*                      *                      *

            _"I can't come over tonight…."_

_            "You promised, Seth."_

_            "I know, but I already had plans made.  I forgot.  I'm sorry."_

_            "Plans more important than me?"_

_            "I didn't say that, Summer.  It's just that I made them first."_

_            "I swear that I need to buy you an electronic organizer."_

_            "I won't forget again."_

_            "You always say that."_

_            "This time I mean it."_

_            "What are these other plans, anyway?"_

_            "It's… it's nothing."_

_            "Oh, my God.  You made plans with _her _again, didn't you?"_

_            "Summer…"_

_            "No, Seth.  No.  Once again, Anna comes before me."_

_            "That's not it.  You know that Anna is one of my best friends."_

_            "Yeah, yeah, yeah.  I've heard it all before."_

_            "Why can't you just accept that Anna is a friend and nothing more?"_

_            "Thanksgiving and Christmas last year are two reasons."_

_            "That was last year.  I chose you, Summer."_

_            "Way to show it."_

_            "You're overreacting."_

_            "You did not just say that to me.  How would you like it if I spent more time with Ryan than I did with you?"_

_            "I don't spend more time with her than I do with you."_

_            "Right, Cohen."_

_            "You just called me Cohen."_

_            "So?"_

_            "You haven't called me Cohen in a long time."_

_            "Well, obviously things are changing."_

_            "What's that supposed to mean?"_

_            "Think about it."_

_            "Summer, you're—"_

_            "I don't want to hear it.  Go run off to Anna.  You always do."_

_            "That's not fair."_

_            "You're the one who's not being fair."_

_            "I can't deal with this right now, Summer."_

_            "You can't deal with anything."_

_            "Hey!  You're taking this way out of proportion."_

_            "Maybe you should go."_

_            "Maybe I should."_

_            "Have fun with your new girlfriend."_

_            "Summer."_

_            "Seth."_

_            "Stop, now."_

_            "Don't tell me what to do.  And don't come back until you've got her out of your system and realize that _I'm _your girlfriend, not her."_

_            "Fine, then, maybe we should just take a break from each other!"_

_            "Maybe we should!"_

_            "Goodbye, Summer."_

*                      *                      *

            "Wow," Parker said, sympathetically.

            "So… am I right to be upset?" Summer asked, running her fingers around the lip of her cup.  She looked into his eyes, waiting for an answer.

            "Of course you are.  But he makes a point, too," he replied gently.

            "What does that mean?"

            "Well, he needs to start remembering when he has plans with other people before he makes plans with you.  But if you don't trust him with other girls, then maybe it's a good idea that you take a break," he said, setting his empty cup down.

            "It's not that I don't trust him.  I just don't like that he spends time with other girls.  I have this superiority complex type of thing.  I like being his center of attention.  Is that selfish?" she asked, dropping her cup next to his.

            "Kind of, yeah," he responded truthfully.  He really _was _like Seth in the way that they weren't afraid to tell her what they thought.  He put his hand on hers.  "I don't know if you remember, but I didn't get… popular… until ninth grade."

            "Really?  I had always assumed that you were born popular.  Then again, I don't remember you from before then," she admitted.

            He shook his head.  "Nope.  Anyway, Seth and I weren't really friends, but sometimes we talked in middle school."

            This visibly surprised Summer.  "Really?"

            "Yeah.  Seth… he's the type of person who'll do anything for someone, but he needs that other person to realize that he needs time to do other stuff, too.  I'm sure he loved doing stuff for you.  But he probably felt that you were smothering him and not letting him spend enough time with his friends."

            Summer looked away.  "I know he does.  Just like I need my time away from him to hang out with Coop.  Marissa, I mean.  But sometimes he makes me feel like Anna is more important than I am.  He's been spending time with her more and more over the past few weeks.  Ryan, too.  I hardly see him outside of school anymore."  She looked back at Parker.

            "Maybe it's because he felt he was spending _too much _time with you.  Maybe he felt like _he _was smothering _you_.  But he should have talked to you about it," Parker said.

            "You think so?" Summer asked.

            He nodded.  "He should have.  That's what I would have done, anyway.  Unless I'm mistaken, a girl likes to sit down and talk about things like that."

            She matched his nod.  "They do.  At least, I do."  She sighed and leaned up against him.  "Thanks."

            "Sure," he replied, but he was cautious.  "Summer, I don't think you should be laying on me."

            "Why not?" she asked, craning her neck to look up into his face.

            "Summer…." He warned.

            "We're taking a break," she said slyly, putting her hand on his knee.

            "But…"

            "Don't worry about it.  We're on a break.  I need this.  Really.  He'll never even have to find out," she told him.  "Unless you really don't want to."

            "No, it's not that.  I _do _want to.  Believe me, I do.  You're… you're amazing, Summer.  I can really see what Seth sees in you.  But I don't want to ruin what you and Seth have," he told her, pushing her hand from his knee.

            "Seth and I were probably going to break up anyway.  I think this break is going to be permanent."

            "Are you sure it's not the alcohol talking?  I know you've had at least three beers," he told her.  He really didn't want to upset Seth.  Or Summer.  It was possible that she'd wake up to regret tomorrow anything that she did that night.

            "I'm sure.  Please," she pleaded, leaning up.  _"Please…."  _With that, she kissed him.  He still wasn't sure, but if she was….  So he didn't stop her.  He didn't give out much, but he was sure that she didn't even notice.

            She turned around and pushed him onto his back on the towel.  Still kissing him, she began to unbutton his shirt.  He stopped her.  "Summer….  Do you really want to go this far?"

            "Do you want to?  You're not a virgin, are you?"

            "It's not that.  No, I'm not really all that experienced.  But I don't want you to live to regret this.  I don't want you to get back together with him only to be keeping this inside you, feeling guilty," he said.

            "Parker, I want to.  I don't want to think about Seth.  I've never had a conversation with him like the one I had with you tonight.  I want to be with you.  If you don't want to be with me, that's fine.  But… at least tonight, now," she replied.

            "Okay," he agreed.  "Okay."

            And when she kissed him again, he kissed back.  He let her take his shirt off, and he slid hers off as well.  As she fumbled with the button on his pants, he whispered, "I don't have any… protection."

            She bit her lip.  "Wow, um….  That's… that's okay.  What're the chances of me getting pregnant?  Unless you have an STD?"

            "No, no.  I don't.  You don't, right?"

            "No.  So… do you still want to?" she asked.

            "If you do."

            She nodded against his shoulder.  She finished undressing him, and he did the same to her.  "Ready?"  Again, she nodded.  Nervously, he entered her and they made love.

*                      *                      *

            A week later, a tragedy happened.  Summer Roberts was raped.

*                      *                      *

            "God, Coop, pick up," Summer sobbed into her cell phone.

            "Hello?" came Marissa's cheery voice.

            "Marissa?" Summer choked.

            Summer rarely called Marissa by her first name, so Marissa knew that something serious was going on.  "Summer?  Are you okay?  What's wrong?"

            "Marissa…."

            "I'm here, Summer.  What's wrong?  Tell me, honey."  She wasn't the type to call Summer "honey," but she didn't know how else to get her to talk to her.

            "I was… oh, God… I can't… I… I can't…." Summer wept.

            "Where are you?" Marissa asked, concerned.  Summer _never _got this emotional.

            "Wilkes Motel," she managed.  "Room 29."

            "Don't move.  I'll be right there," Marissa told her, ending the call.  Wilkes Motel was a seedy motel on the outskirts of town.  Summer would never go to a place like that, and the worst was going through Marissa's mind.

*                      *                      *

            When Marissa got to the motel, the door to room 29 was ajar.  "Summer?" she asked, pushing the door open cautiously.

            The scene inside wasn't what Marissa was expecting.  The bedding was tangled and torn on the floor, and there were traces of blood on the single sheet that remained on the mattress.  Summer sat on the floor, back against the wall.  Her clothes were disheveled, and purple bruises were already forming on her arms.

            "Oh, my God, Summer," Marissa gasped, hurrying to her friend's side.  "What happened?  You weren't… oh, my God… you weren't…."

            Summer looked at Marissa with tears in her eyes.  "I was raped."

*                      *                      *

            Marissa managed to get Summer out of the motel and back to her house, only because she promised not to tell anyone.

            "It's spring break," Summer was saying.  "And my dad and stepmother are out of town.  So I can stay home all week and let my bruises heal."

            "You have to tell somebody, Sum.  You can't keep this to yourself.  It'll tear you apart," Marissa advised.

            "I told you.  You're all that needs to know.  Nobody else.  Not my parents, not Ryan, not the police.  And especially not Seth.  I'm trusting you not to tell anyone," Summer said before walking up the walkway to her front door.

            Marissa sighed.  There was no way that she couldn't tell someone.  Summer was raped, and Marissa was the only person who could do anything about it.

*                      *                      *

            It was almost two in the morning by the time the Newport Beach Police Department car met Marissa outside of Wilkes Motel.  The uniformed cop opened the driver's door and stepped over to Marissa.  He glanced at a small pad of paper, which he pulled from his shirt pocket.  "Are you Marissa Cooper?"

            "Yes, sir."

            "You say that your friend was raped here tonight?  Who and where is she now?" he asked, readying a pen.

            "Her name is Summer Roberts.  I brought her home.  She made me promise not to tell anyone, but I couldn't do that.  She doesn't know that I'm telling you," Marissa replied meekly.

            "It would be better if she was here as well, but it's good that you decided to tell us."  He wrote something down, and then asked her to direct him to the scene of the rape.  Once inside, he asked if she had touched anything.

            "Just the door.  Her lip was bleeding a little, so I did use the sink so I could get something to wipe the blood from her face," Marissa told him.  He wrote this down and looked the room over.

            "I'm going to need to call the station.  We'll need forensics to come down here and inspect the scene.  Come with me," he instructed, and she followed him outside and to his patrol car, where he used his radio to call the police department.

            After he called, he turned to Marissa.  "They want you to stay here until they get here.  They'll let you know what they want you to do."

            Marissa nodded and opened the door to her car so she could sit inside and wait.  She just hoped that she had made the right decision.

*                      *                      *

            When the backup arrived, a detective went to where Marissa was sitting.  She stood up to greet him.

            "Miss Cooper, we'd like to thank you for alerting us of this occurrence.  If you hadn't, it wouldn't be surprising if the motel just changed the sheets and never contacted us about it."

            "I just want this guy caught," she told him.

            "We'll do our best.  You've done your part, and it's late.  Early, rather.  You should get home and get some rest.  Dobson – that's the guy over there –" the detective pointed, "will take down your phone number and address, and we'll get back to you to ask you some questions."

            "You won't talk to Summer before me, will you?" she asked.

            "More than likely, no.  We'd like to go over the scene a bit first, then question you about what you know.  Unless there's an emergency, we'll probably talk to you first," he told her.

            "Thank you," she smiled, and went to talk to Dobson.

*                      *                      *

            A month later, Summer's rapist still hadn't been found.  The detectives and the police were coming closer, but they still hadn't found a big breakthrough.  Summer had initially been upset with Marissa, but she had understood why she had and knew that she would have done the same for Marissa.

            But the problems weren't over yet.

            "Marissa," Summer said.

            "Summer?  Is something wrong?" Marissa asked over the phone.

            "I… I missed my period," Summer replied nervously.

            "What?  Oh, Summer….  How late are you?"

            "A week…." Summer said quietly.  She was afraid, and she knew that Marissa was, too.

            Marissa swallowed hard.  "Why didn't you tell me before?"

            "I was hoping it was just a couple days late or something.  It's happened before, being a few days late.  But I'm a week late, and… what if I'm pregnant?"

            "Summer, don't even say that.  Oh wow.  You're not… you're not pregnant."

            "I've been feeling nauseous sometimes, lately.  And I've been peeing a lot more than usual.  Those are signs of possible pregnancy.  I think I want to take a pregnancy test," Summer said slowly.  "Will you come with me to buy one?"

            "I… if you're sure you want to do this," Marissa agreed.  Just let me get my purse and I'll be right over."

*                      *                      *

            The two girls were sitting outside of Summer's bathroom, after having embarrassedly buying a test and Summer taking it.  These were the longest two minutes of Summer's life.

            "So… is it possible that it's Seth's?  If you're even pregnant, of course.  But, I mean… did you ever?" Marissa asked.

            "We did… twice.  But we used protection both times," Summer declared.

            "Well, that doesn't mean anything.  I mean… condoms… they're not 100% sure, you know?"

            "I don't think – if I'm pregnant, which I think I am – that it's Seth's.  But that doesn't mean it belongs to the guy who raped me, either."

            Marissa was confused.  "Who else did you do it with?"

            Summer looked down.  "It was a week after Seth and I started our break.  I was feeling so vulnerable.  I wanted to feel needed, so I… I slept with Parker.  He didn't want to, but I practically forced him to…."

            "Parker Prescott?" Marissa asked, shocked.

            "Yeah.  We didn't use protection.  So it could be his, too."

            "If you're pregnant."

            Summer nodded.  "If I'm pregnant…."

            Marissa inhaled.  "It's been two minutes.  Are you ready?"

            Summer exhaled.  "I am if you are."

            Marissa nodded.  "Let's go."  They stood up and entered the bathroom.  Marissa picked up the indicator off the counter.  "Do you want to look at it first?"

            "No, you do it," Summer told her, biting her lip.

            Marissa looked at the display.  "S-Summer…." She whispered.

            "Oh, my God.  What is it?  Am I?  Am I… pregnant?"  Marissa looked up and into her eyes.  This scared Summer, and she grabbed the plastic indicator from her friend's hand.  In the display was a blue plus symbol.

            The indicator fell from Summer's hand, hitting the tiles with an echoing _crack_.  "Oh, my God.  Oh… oh, my God.  I'm… I'm pregnant."

**_To be continued…_**


	2. The Pregnancy

 Invincible Summer 

"In the depths of winter I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer." 

_-Albert Camus_

_Part **Two** of **Three**_

 The Pregnancy 

            After Summer's rape, it wasn't long before the gossip was making its way through Newport Beach.  At school, people stared at her as she walked by. Even now, a month later, she could hear them whispering about her.  Nobody besides Marissa knew she was pregnant yet, and she planned on keeping it that way as long as possible.

            "Summer!" a familiar voice called, and Summer turned to see Seth hurrying towards her.  She smiled.

            After she was raped, she and Seth had gotten back together.

*                      *                      *

            _"Summer… oh, God, Summer… I'm so sorry."_

_            "It's not your fault."_

_            "I know, but….  How can I help?"_

_            "You don't need to help, Seth.  Really."_

_            "My dad can help.  Please, at least let me give you that."_

_            "I… okay."_

_            "If… if you're ready to get back together, I am, too.  But if you want me to back off, I'll do that, too."_

_            "Are you sure you want me?  I'm dirty of rape."_

_            "You shouldn't be the ashamed one.  It's not your fault."_

_            "There's more, Seth…."_

_            "Oh?  W-what else?"_

_            "I… when we were on our break, I… um… this is hard."_

_            "Just say it, Summer.  I won't be upset."_

_            "I… slept with someone else."_

_            "Oh…."_

_            "So I completely understand if you don't want to—"_

_            "No.  No, I do.  Really."_

_            "But I—"_

_            "It's okay.  I hurt you, and you needed someone.  I understand."_

_            "Are you sure, Seth?"_

_            "Yes."_

_            "So… what do we do now?"_

_            "I guess we just start where we left off."_

*                      *                      *

            Of course, their reunion was before Summer had received her news of the pregnancy.  She still hadn't told him, but knew that she'd start showing soon.  There was no way that she could get an abortion, whether it was the rapist's or not.  She had already talked to the doctor about it – it was physically impossible for Summer to get one.

            She had something wrong with her reproductive system.  A problem in which if she were to have an abortion, there was a large chance that she would die during the procedure.  The safest bet was to let the pregnancy go its course.  Her doctor had told her, however, that it was most likely that she'd require a Caesarean section.

            A C-section would ruin Summer's shape forever, she presumed, but she wasn't stupid enough to think that some ninety-five percent chance of dying was worth an hourglass figure.

            Her taut stomach was already becoming fuller, and Summer had stopped wearing anything too revealing of her midriff.  Soon she'd have to wear baggy clothes, which would cause questions around school.  After that, there really was no hiding it.  But for every day that she hid her pregnancy from the world, it was one more day that she was hiding it from Seth.

*                      *                      *

            A few days later, Summer and Seth were at Summer's house, studying.  Or at least, they were supposed to be studying.  Their textbooks and papers lay forgotten on the coffee table, while the two were making out on the couch.

            Suddenly, Seth pulled back.  "Seth?" Summer asked, her voice faltering.  He usually wasn't the one who pulled back first, suddenly or otherwise.

            "Are you okay?" he asked her, one eyebrow rising on his forehead.

            "I could ask the same of you," she commented, still a little surprised from his sudden cease.  She bit her lip, hoping that this didn't have anything to do with the rape.  She had already been receiving so much support for it – not only from Seth, but Marissa, Ryan, the Cohens, and slightly from her stepmother – that she wasn't sure if her sporadic waves of nausea were from the pregnancy or the attention.  The only break she got was from her father, who actually blamed her.  _What did you expect?  You dress like a whore despite the fact that you're supposed to be my daughter.  How does that look on my part?  I'm supposed to be upholding a respectable family, here._

But for now, her father wasn't the issue.  Seth was.

            "I'm sorry, it's just… you seem so out of it lately.  Summer, if there's something that you want to talk about, I'm here.  You know that, right?" he asked, similarly chewing at his own lip.  His unconscious habit was more from nerves than hope, though, as he was afraid for Summer.

            Summer jumped from the couch, startling Seth.  "Yes, I know that.  But I'm sick of all this… this nonstop attention.  Bigger things have happened in Newport.  Nobody comforted me when my mom – my real mom – left, but nobody wants to leave me alone about this.  I can handle this.  I'm not an innocent little girl anymore.  I can actually understand the situation that I'm in now, and I can figure it out on my own!"

            "S-Summer, I—" Seth started, mouth agape.  It wasn't unusual for Summer to go off in a rant or tantrum; these were what she liked to call rage blackouts.  But this… this just didn't sit well with Seth.  Something was odd about this moodiness she was having now.

            "No," she said, whipping around with an outstretched arm, her index finger coming within an inch of Seth's nose, pointing accusingly.  "I don't want to hear it.  Do you think I like the stares?  The whispers?  I'm surprised they haven't started a Summer Roberts Support Club at the school.  If I could have identified the rapist, maybe this whole thing would be over.  But no.  No, he had to wear a ski mask – imagine!  A criminal who actually doesn't want to be identified!  Not to mention the blindfold he put on me.  You know that I'm just like those cops and detectives, with my X-ray vision that allows me to see through layers of fabric."

            "Summer—" he tried again, but to no avail.

            "Do you know the kind of questions they asked me?" she asked expectantly.  "Well?  Do you?"

            Seth attempted to tell her that no, he didn't know, but all that came out of his throat was a dry, raspy crack.  He settled on shaking hid head, and she immediately continued her spiel.

            "They asked me _everything_.  _Everything.  _They didn't even give me very much time to understand the severity of what had happened to me before they started their interrogation.  No, they started in right away.  _Did you see anything that could help identify him?  What was his build?  About how tall was he?  Any distinguishable scars, birthmarks, moles?  Did you manage to see what color his pubic hair was?_" she spat angrily, though Seth could see the tears brimming in her eyes.

            "His pubic hair.  Like I can pay attention to his pubic hair when he's pulling me off of the street into a van, blindfolding me and gagging me, forging me into a sleazy motel room.  Instead of spending all of this time trying to find hair fibers in the room – which it isn't a surprise that the Newport Forensic Team couldn't – they're shoving tape recorders under my nose," she sobbed.

            He really didn't know how to comfort her.  Just like her point, that the cops couldn't understand how she felt, he couldn't either.  He lifted his hand and attempted to grasp hers, but she yanked away.

            "I was so freaking _disoriented _that I'm surprised I could even remember the fact that it was a van he was driving.  Which was found driven off the Edmont Pier yesterday, if I may add.  Anything of importance was either washed clean or swept away by the water.  See how slow they are, how long it takes them to find anything?"  Her last sentence was so broken up by muddled sobs that Seth had to stop her.

            He stood up, enveloping her in a hug.  She tried to escape, but he wouldn't release her.  With the hand that wasn't gripping her to him, he struggled against her own struggling body to pet her head: anything to calm her down.  "Shh.  Everything's going to be okay.  They're going to find him, Summer."

            "No they're not.  They haven't found him yet.  If they do, it'll be fifty years down the road when the statute of limitations has expired," she ranted.  Stubbornly, she stopped resisting and let him hold her.

            "I'm not sure that they have a statute of limitations when it comes to rape," Seth told her, but immediately after he said it he bit his tongue.  He was supposed to just _listen _to her in a situation like this.  He didn't want her to bite his head off again.

            "I don't care," Summer snapped, attempting and managing to squeeze away from him.  "I could go on and on about everything else that they'll screw up on."

            Seth placed his hands together in what looked like a prayer pose, something that he usually would have partnered with something like "Thank you, ninja master."  However, this time it seemed to be a go-ahead.  "Yes.  Continue ranting and raving.  Ramble away, blabber to your little heart's content.  If fuming about it is what helps you get it out, by all means, go ahead."

            She just glared at him, an action – or lack of action, rather – that let him know that he had won for now, but it was still far from over.  She resumed her rambling, though this time it was more Seth-like that angry.  "I'm hungry.  I'm going to get something to eat.  Do you want something to eat?  I'm going to make something."

            "Uh… no, no thanks.  I'll be right back; I need to use the bathroom," he said, hoping that allowing her to go to the kitchen alone wouldn't result in a crazed, butcher-knife-shielding Summer.

            "Ew!  You don't have to share, Cohen," she complained as she pushed past him.  _At least she's back to normal, _he thought as he shook his head and made way to the bathroom.

*                      *                      *

            Seth made sure the toilet seat was down, being a girl's house and all, and whistled as he washed his hands.  From the corner of his eye, he noticed a small dish of chocolate mints further down the corner.  He grinned.  How weird.  He took one of the green-wrapped pieces and unfolded the packaging.

            He never second-guessed eating it.  Summer knew that he liked to eat, and if she was really worried about it, she would have hidden the mint dish – along with any other candy, and possibly padlocking the refrigerator and cupboards shut – before he had arrived.

            As he was dropping the remains into the small trashcan, however, something caught his eye.  From where he was, it looked a little like a thermometer, but he didn't see why it would be in the trash.  So, guiltily, he bent over and carefully plucked it away from the tissues and makeup-y cotton balls.

            But as it neared his face, he was pretty sure that it wasn't a thermometer.  And as he got it close enough to see the blue plus sign, he was dead positive… no pun intended.

*                      *                      *

            "I got you some ice cream anyway," Summer was saying as Seth stepped out of the bathroom.  "I knew you'd want some as soon as you saw me with it."  Upon seeing the look on Seth's face, the look that made Summer feel that he was accusing her of betrayal, she stopped walking.  "What's wrong?"

            "Is there anything you want to tell me?" he asked.  Summer didn't notice that one of his hands was clenched as if he was concealing something in it.

            "I was all out of vanilla?" she offered, wondering what he was talking about.

            "Summer," he said softly, but the crack in his voice was blatant.

            The way that he said her name just then made her feel like crying.  Now his voice matched the look on his face, that of betrayal and hurt.  She felt a small tear start to roll away from her eye, stinging as it pushed past her eyelid.  She blinked, trying to clear her vision.  "Please tell me what I did.  If I can fix it, I will.  Please, Seth."

            "Can you fix this?" he asked, throwing the pregnancy test indicator to the ground before her feet.  Shocked and surprised, Summer let the bowls of ice cream fall from her hands, echoing a similar _crack _as the indicator had upon hitting tiles when she had taken the test.  This time, though, the ceramic or porcelain or whatever it was that bowls were made of, which Summer didn't want to think about at the moment, shattered, sending sticky shards and spatters of ice cream in every direction.

            She turned to run; she wanted to get away, go anywhere but there.  He, being quick and swifter than her from all of his videogames and skateboarding tricks, grabbed her by the shoulders.  "Summer.  Just… explain, please."

            She resentfully turned around, though her resent wasn't aimed at him.  It was at herself for leaving the indicator in the trash.  It's not like her parents were ever home enough to have seen it, and she surely didn't think that Seth Cohen would find it.  "It's… it's my step-mom's.  She's pregnant."

            "Don't give me that," Seth said, almost growling.  "Your dad and step-mom haven't been home for at least a couple months, and that," he said, pointing at the white plastic at Summer's feet, "has been taken recently.  I'm not stupid."

            Summer opened her mouth to say something, but Seth beat her to the punch.  "Don't tell me that it's Marissa's, either.  Summer… God, Summer… are you pregnant?"

*                      *                      *

            "Is… is it mine?" Seth asked nervously.

            Summer shook her head, the tears fully coming now, though her sobs were silent.

            Seth swallowed hard.  "So… it's the rapist's?"

            Again, Summer shook her head.  This time she was more hesitant though, and before Seth responded, he squeezed his eyes shut.

            "So… there was someone else."  He didn't open his eyes, even when Summer placed her hand on his knee.

            "There was….  But, it doesn't mean it was his.  It could be the rapist's, and it could be yours.  It's just that you and I… we used protection both times that we… did it," she finally spoke up.

            Seth arose from the couch, beginning a slow pace.  "Who was it?"

            "What?" Summer asked, fearing that he wanted to know whom else she slept with.  She couldn't lie to him anymore, but she really didn't want to tell him about Parker, either.  Knowing Seth, he'd go on some kind of rampage until he found the possible father of his girlfriend's baby, in which he would attempt to punch him out.

            "Who was the other guy?  I won't be mad.  I just… I want to know who it was.  I know that sounds disgusting, but…." he managed.

            "Prerpreskit," Summer mumbled.

            "What?" Seth asked gently.

            Summer took a deep breath.  "P-Parker Prescott."

            There was a visible flash in Seth's eyes at that, but he remained calm.  "So… do you think he's the father?"

            "I don't know… I don't know.  I don't want him to be," Summer told him honestly, watching him pace.

            "But you're going to keep the baby, right?  No matter whose it is?" he asked, not making eye contact with her.

            "I have to.  Medical complications prevent me from getting an abortion.  I don't think I could actually go through with that anyway.  It's so… unethical."  As she said that, Summer realized that sleeping with Parker was probably really unethical as well, but she forced her way past the thought.  "And I could never give it up for adoption."

            "Who else knows?" Seth asked randomly.

            Summer knew what he was doing.  He was trying to see whom else she had already told, so he could get upset about her telling them first.  Luckily, Marissa was the only person.  "Marissa."

            "_Just _Marissa?" Seth asked, uncertainly.

            "Well, and the doctor, obviously.  But nobody else," she told him, sincerity flowing through her veins and off her tongue.  She really was sick of having to hide things from him, and unless extreme predicaments arose, she was done keeping him in the dark.

            "You didn't tell Parker?" Seth asked.  Summer could tell if the tone he used was sadness or disgust, but either way she didn't like it.

            "Of course not," she promised.

            "You should," he said, turning away.

            "What?" Summer choked.  "Why should I tell him?  Why would you want me to?"

            "Because he deserves to know that it could be his.  If this situation was the other way around, and Parker was your boyfriend and I was your one-night stand, I'd want to know if I was a potential father."

            "Wow… yeah, um… I should tell him.  Will… will you come with me?"

*                      *                      *

            "Oh, wow.  You're… and it could be…." Parker stumbled through his words.

            Summer bit her lip, looking from Parker, who was sitting on the sofa opposite her, to Seth, who was next to her on the love seat.  "We just thought that it would be better if you knew.  We didn't want to keep it from you."

            "No, yeah, I understand.  When… when will you be able to take a paternity test?" Parker stuttered.

            "The doctor said that they have a procedure that I can have done before I actually give birth that can tell us who the father is.  It's expensive, but I have to do it.  We need to know.  I can get it done now, but the doctor recommends waiting until the end of my second trimester or the beginning of my third.  It's safer for the baby that way and a little more accurate, he said," Summer told Parker, but it was directed towards Seth as well.

            "Well, I guess we'll just have to wait until then," Parker said nervously.

*                      *                      *

            Summer's pregnancy went on pretty well, except for the aggravation she caused Seth with her cravings of ice cream, and on occasion, a certain flavor that could only be purchased at an ice cream shop across town.  Seth eventually asked if he could buy a whole gallon of the stuff, and with hesitancy and curiosity, the shop sold it to him.

            Summer's fifth month of pregnancy also coincided with graduation.  There was no hiding her stomach now, and the graduation gown did her no justice.

            By chance, because Payton Colson had decided to pass up the ceremony to get high in his backyard, Seth Cohen and Marissa Cooper were sitting next to each other.  "Are you nervous about the paternity results?" Marissa asked lamely.

            "She hasn't even taken the test yet," Seth muttered.

            On stage, the principal was saying "Ryan Atwood," and Ryan was walking to accept his diploma.  Seth and Marissa clapped enthusiastically, and Seth saw his father snapping pictures from the bleachers.

            "I know," Marissa said once Veronica Baker was being called.  "But she can, now.  She was talking about getting it done next week."

            "Really?" Seth asked, snapping his head to the side to look at her.  "She didn't tell me that."  He frowned.

            "She was going to, really.  She probably just didn't want to get you worked up before the ceremony, and all the chaos going on right now."  Seth gave Marissa a long, skeptical look, but before long his name was being called and he had to walk away.

*                      *                      *

            "Hello?" Summer asked, cradling the phone on her shoulder.

            "Summer?  It's me," came the reply, that of the last person Summer expected to be calling her.

            "Anna?" Summer questioned, surprised.

            "Yeah.  Are you watching the news?"

            "No… why?" Summer really hoped that Anna wasn't trying to pull something, because she really wasn't in the mood.  Not that she thought Anna would really pull anything over on her, but she didn't know her that well.

            "Quick, turn it on to channel nine," Anna requested, somewhat desperately.

            Summer flipped the TV on and changed the channel to nine.

            _"…Newport Beach, California.  The rapist of a young, recent graduate of the elite Harbor School, Summer Roberts, has been arrested today.  Less than an hour ago, the suspect was apprehended…" _the TV anchorwoman spewed.

            "Oh, my God!  How could they not let me know before they even aired it on the news?" Summer spat.

            "That's not the worst part," Anna said softly.  "Wait until you see who it is."

            And when they flashed the picture of the rapist on the screen, Summer was floored.  No… no way.  If her child was his… oh, God.  She would rather have the child be Parker's, and have neither Seth nor Parker talk to her for the rest of her life than have the fetus inside her develop to be the offspring of _him_.

To be continued… 


End file.
